Which has preferable valuation and earnings, AMGN or MRK?

Merck & Co., Inc. has higher revenue and earnings than Amgen. Amgen is trading at a lower price-to-earnings ratio than Merck & Co., Inc., indicating that it is currently the more affordable of the two stocks. Company Gross Revenue Price/Sales Ratio Net Income Earnings Per Share Price/Earnings Ratio Amgen $36.75B 6.23 $7.71B $16.09 26.33 Merck & Co., Inc. $65.01B 5.67 $18.25B $1.25 119.44

Is AMGN or MRK more profitable?

Amgen has a net margin of 22.95% compared to Merck & Co., Inc.'s net margin of 4.77%. Amgen's return on equity of 124.14% beat Merck & Co., Inc.'s return on equity. Company Net Margins Return on Equity Return on Assets Amgen 22.95% 124.14% 13.18% Merck & Co., Inc. 4.77% 16.73% 6.13%

Does the media favor AMGN or MRK?

In the previous week, Merck & Co., Inc. had 10 more articles in the media than Amgen. MarketBeat recorded 38 mentions for Merck & Co., Inc. and 28 mentions for Amgen. Amgen's average media sentiment score of 0.73 beat Merck & Co., Inc.'s score of 0.62 indicating that Amgen is being referred to more favorably in the media. Company Very Positive Positive Neutral Negative Very Negative Overall Sentiment Amgen 14 Very Positive mention(s) 3 Positive mention(s) 8 Neutral mention(s) 0 Negative mention(s) 2 Very Negative mention(s) Positive Merck & Co., Inc. 18 Very Positive mention(s) 3 Positive mention(s) 10 Neutral mention(s) 3 Negative mention(s) 3 Very Negative mention(s) Positive

Does the media prefer GILD or MRK?

In the previous week, Merck & Co., Inc. had 24 more articles in the media than Gilead Sciences. MarketBeat recorded 38 mentions for Merck & Co., Inc. and 14 mentions for Gilead Sciences. Gilead Sciences' average media sentiment score of 0.96 beat Merck & Co., Inc.'s score of 0.62 indicating that Gilead Sciences is being referred to more favorably in the media. Company Very Positive Positive Neutral Negative Very Negative Overall Sentiment Gilead Sciences 8 Very Positive mention(s) 2 Positive mention(s) 3 Neutral mention(s) 0 Negative mention(s) 0 Very Negative mention(s) Positive Merck & Co., Inc. 18 Very Positive mention(s) 3 Positive mention(s) 10 Neutral mention(s) 3 Negative mention(s) 3 Very Negative mention(s) Positive

Which has better earnings & valuation, MRK or MRNA?

Merck & Co., Inc. has higher revenue and earnings than Moderna. Moderna is trading at a lower price-to-earnings ratio than Merck & Co., Inc., indicating that it is currently the more affordable of the two stocks. Company Gross Revenue Price/Sales Ratio Net Income Earnings Per Share Price/Earnings Ratio Merck & Co., Inc. $65.01B 5.67 $18.25B $1.25 119.44 Moderna $1.94B 41.78 -$2.82B -$7.99 N/A

Is MRK or MRNA more profitable?

Merck & Co., Inc. has a net margin of 4.77% compared to Moderna's net margin of -141.43%. Merck & Co., Inc.'s return on equity of 16.73% beat Moderna's return on equity. Company Net Margins Return on Equity Return on Assets Merck & Co., Inc. 4.77% 16.73% 6.13% Moderna -141.43% -28.30% -19.39%

Does the media refer more to MRK or MRNA?

In the previous week, Moderna had 10 more articles in the media than Merck & Co., Inc.. MarketBeat recorded 48 mentions for Moderna and 38 mentions for Merck & Co., Inc.. Merck & Co., Inc.'s average media sentiment score of 0.62 beat Moderna's score of 0.33 indicating that Merck & Co., Inc. is being referred to more favorably in the media. Company Very Positive Positive Neutral Negative Very Negative Overall Sentiment Merck & Co., Inc. 18 Very Positive mention(s) 3 Positive mention(s) 10 Neutral mention(s) 3 Negative mention(s) 3 Very Negative mention(s) Positive Moderna 10 Very Positive mention(s) 16 Positive mention(s) 14 Neutral mention(s) 2 Negative mention(s) 4 Very Negative mention(s) Neutral

Does the media prefer VRTX or MRK?

In the previous week, Merck & Co., Inc. had 21 more articles in the media than Vertex Pharmaceuticals. MarketBeat recorded 38 mentions for Merck & Co., Inc. and 17 mentions for Vertex Pharmaceuticals. Vertex Pharmaceuticals' average media sentiment score of 0.93 beat Merck & Co., Inc.'s score of 0.62 indicating that Vertex Pharmaceuticals is being referred to more favorably in the media. Company Very Positive Positive Neutral Negative Very Negative Overall Sentiment Vertex Pharmaceuticals 9 Very Positive mention(s) 1 Positive mention(s) 5 Neutral mention(s) 1 Negative mention(s) 0 Very Negative mention(s) Positive Merck & Co., Inc. 18 Very Positive mention(s) 3 Positive mention(s) 10 Neutral mention(s) 3 Negative mention(s) 3 Very Negative mention(s) Positive

Which has better valuation and earnings, ABBV or MRK?

Merck & Co., Inc. has higher revenue and earnings than AbbVie. AbbVie is trading at a lower price-to-earnings ratio than Merck & Co., Inc., indicating that it is currently the more affordable of the two stocks. Company Gross Revenue Price/Sales Ratio Net Income Earnings Per Share Price/Earnings Ratio AbbVie $64.39B 7.23 $4.23B $3.54 74.45 Merck & Co., Inc. $65.01B 5.67 $18.25B $1.25 119.44

Is ABBV or MRK more profitable?

AbbVie has a net margin of 9.80% compared to Merck & Co., Inc.'s net margin of 4.77%. Merck & Co., Inc.'s return on equity of 16.73% beat AbbVie's return on equity. Company Net Margins Return on Equity Return on Assets AbbVie 9.80% -422.07% 14.34% Merck & Co., Inc. 4.77% 16.73% 6.13%

Does the media refer more to ABBV or MRK?

In the previous week, AbbVie had 1 more articles in the media than Merck & Co., Inc.. MarketBeat recorded 39 mentions for AbbVie and 38 mentions for Merck & Co., Inc.. AbbVie's average media sentiment score of 0.75 beat Merck & Co., Inc.'s score of 0.62 indicating that AbbVie is being referred to more favorably in the media. Company Very Positive Positive Neutral Negative Very Negative Overall Sentiment AbbVie 18 Very Positive mention(s) 10 Positive mention(s) 8 Neutral mention(s) 3 Negative mention(s) 0 Very Negative mention(s) Positive Merck & Co., Inc. 18 Very Positive mention(s) 3 Positive mention(s) 10 Neutral mention(s) 3 Negative mention(s) 3 Very Negative mention(s) Positive

Merck & Co., Inc. (MRK) Competitors

$149.30 +0.61 (+0.41%)

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MRK vs. AMGN, GILD, MRNA, VRTX, and ABBV

Should you buy Merck & Co., Inc. stock or one of its competitors? Merck & Co., Inc.'s main competitors and comparable companies include Amgen (AMGN), Gilead Sciences (GILD), Moderna (MRNA), Vertex Pharmaceuticals (VRTX), and AbbVie (ABBV). Companies are selected based on similarities in market, industry, and size. These companies are all part of the "healthcare" sector.

How does Merck & Co., Inc. compare to Amgen?

Amgen (NASDAQ:AMGN) and Merck & Co., Inc. (NYSE:MRK) are both large-cap healthcare companies, but which is the better business? We will compare the two companies based on the strength of their valuation, earnings, institutional ownership, profitability, dividends, risk, analyst recommendations and media sentiment.

Amgen has a beta of 0.43, indicating that its stock price is 57% less volatile than the broader market. Comparatively, Merck & Co., Inc. has a beta of 0.21, indicating that its stock price is 79% less volatile than the broader market.

Amgen has a net margin of 22.95% compared to Merck & Co., Inc.'s net margin of 4.77%. Amgen's return on equity of 124.14% beat Merck & Co., Inc.'s return on equity.

Company	Net Margins	Return on Equity	Return on Assets
Amgen	22.95%	124.14%	13.18%
Merck & Co., Inc.	4.77%	16.73%	6.13%

Amgen pays an annual dividend of $10.08 per share and has a dividend yield of 2.4%. Merck & Co., Inc. pays an annual dividend of $3.40 per share and has a dividend yield of 2.3%. Amgen pays out 62.6% of its earnings in the form of a dividend. Merck & Co., Inc. pays out 272.0% of its earnings in the form of a dividend, suggesting it may not have sufficient earnings to cover its dividend payment in the future. Amgen has raised its dividend for 14 consecutive years and Merck & Co., Inc. has raised its dividend for 14 consecutive years. Amgen is clearly the better dividend stock, given its higher yield and lower payout ratio.

In the previous week, Merck & Co., Inc. had 10 more articles in the media than Amgen. MarketBeat recorded 38 mentions for Merck & Co., Inc. and 28 mentions for Amgen. Amgen's average media sentiment score of 0.73 beat Merck & Co., Inc.'s score of 0.62 indicating that Amgen is being referred to more favorably in the media.

Company	Very Positive	Positive	Neutral	Negative	Very Negative	Overall Sentiment
Amgen	14 Very Positive mention(s)	3 Positive mention(s)	8 Neutral mention(s)	0 Negative mention(s)	2 Very Negative mention(s)	Positive
Merck & Co., Inc.	18 Very Positive mention(s)	3 Positive mention(s)	10 Neutral mention(s)	3 Negative mention(s)	3 Very Negative mention(s)	Positive

Merck & Co., Inc. has higher revenue and earnings than Amgen. Amgen is trading at a lower price-to-earnings ratio than Merck & Co., Inc., indicating that it is currently the more affordable of the two stocks.

Company	Gross Revenue	Price/Sales Ratio	Net Income	Earnings Per Share	Price/Earnings Ratio
Amgen	$36.75B	6.23	$7.71B	$16.09	26.33
Merck & Co., Inc.	$65.01B	5.67	$18.25B	$1.25	119.44

76.5% of Amgen shares are owned by institutional investors. Comparatively, 76.1% of Merck & Co., Inc. shares are owned by institutional investors. 0.9% of Amgen shares are owned by insiders. Comparatively, 0.2% of Merck & Co., Inc. shares are owned by insiders. Strong institutional ownership is an indication that endowments, large money managers and hedge funds believe a stock is poised for long-term growth.

Amgen currently has a consensus price target of $385.25, suggesting a potential downside of 9.06%. Merck & Co., Inc. has a consensus price target of $145.76, suggesting a potential downside of 2.37%. Given Merck & Co., Inc.'s stronger consensus rating and higher possible upside, analysts clearly believe Merck & Co., Inc. is more favorable than Amgen.

Company	Sell Ratings	Hold Ratings	Buy Ratings	Strong Buy Ratings	Rating Score
Amgen	3 Sell rating(s)	15 Hold rating(s)	11 Buy rating(s)	1 Strong Buy rating(s)	2.33
Merck & Co., Inc.	0 Sell rating(s)	11 Hold rating(s)	16 Buy rating(s)	0 Strong Buy rating(s)	2.59

Summary

Amgen beats Merck & Co., Inc. on 12 of the 19 factors compared between the two stocks.

How does Merck & Co., Inc. compare to Gilead Sciences?

Gilead Sciences (NASDAQ:GILD) and Merck & Co., Inc. (NYSE:MRK) are both large-cap healthcare companies, but which is the better stock? We will compare the two companies based on the strength of their profitability, analyst recommendations, dividends, media sentiment, institutional ownership, earnings, risk and valuation.

83.7% of Gilead Sciences shares are owned by institutional investors. Comparatively, 76.1% of Merck & Co., Inc. shares are owned by institutional investors. 0.3% of Gilead Sciences shares are owned by company insiders. Comparatively, 0.2% of Merck & Co., Inc. shares are owned by company insiders. Strong institutional ownership is an indication that large money managers, hedge funds and endowments believe a company is poised for long-term growth.

Merck & Co., Inc. has higher revenue and earnings than Gilead Sciences. Gilead Sciences is trading at a lower price-to-earnings ratio than Merck & Co., Inc., indicating that it is currently the more affordable of the two stocks.

Company	Gross Revenue	Price/Sales Ratio	Net Income	Earnings Per Share	Price/Earnings Ratio
Gilead Sciences	$29.44B	6.37	$8.51B	-$2.67	N/A
Merck & Co., Inc.	$65.01B	5.67	$18.25B	$1.25	119.44

Merck & Co., Inc. has a net margin of 4.77% compared to Gilead Sciences' net margin of -10.64%. Merck & Co., Inc.'s return on equity of 16.73% beat Gilead Sciences' return on equity.

Company	Net Margins	Return on Equity	Return on Assets
Gilead Sciences	-10.64%	-2.11%	-0.75%
Merck & Co., Inc.	4.77%	16.73%	6.13%

In the previous week, Merck & Co., Inc. had 24 more articles in the media than Gilead Sciences. MarketBeat recorded 38 mentions for Merck & Co., Inc. and 14 mentions for Gilead Sciences. Gilead Sciences' average media sentiment score of 0.96 beat Merck & Co., Inc.'s score of 0.62 indicating that Gilead Sciences is being referred to more favorably in the media.

Company	Very Positive	Positive	Neutral	Negative	Very Negative	Overall Sentiment
Gilead Sciences	8 Very Positive mention(s)	2 Positive mention(s)	3 Neutral mention(s)	0 Negative mention(s)	0 Very Negative mention(s)	Positive
Merck & Co., Inc.	18 Very Positive mention(s)	3 Positive mention(s)	10 Neutral mention(s)	3 Negative mention(s)	3 Very Negative mention(s)	Positive

Gilead Sciences presently has a consensus price target of $158.78, indicating a potential upside of 4.96%. Merck & Co., Inc. has a consensus price target of $145.76, indicating a potential downside of 2.37%. Given Gilead Sciences' stronger consensus rating and higher possible upside, analysts clearly believe Gilead Sciences is more favorable than Merck & Co., Inc..

Company	Sell Ratings	Hold Ratings	Buy Ratings	Strong Buy Ratings	Rating Score
Gilead Sciences	0 Sell rating(s)	5 Hold rating(s)	23 Buy rating(s)	1 Strong Buy rating(s)	2.86
Merck & Co., Inc.	0 Sell rating(s)	11 Hold rating(s)	16 Buy rating(s)	0 Strong Buy rating(s)	2.59

Gilead Sciences has a beta of 0.33, suggesting that its stock price is 67% less volatile than the broader market. Comparatively, Merck & Co., Inc. has a beta of 0.21, suggesting that its stock price is 79% less volatile than the broader market.

Gilead Sciences pays an annual dividend of $3.28 per share and has a dividend yield of 2.2%. Merck & Co., Inc. pays an annual dividend of $3.40 per share and has a dividend yield of 2.3%. Gilead Sciences pays out -122.8% of its earnings in the form of a dividend. Merck & Co., Inc. pays out 272.0% of its earnings in the form of a dividend, suggesting it may not have sufficient earnings to cover its dividend payment in the future. Gilead Sciences has raised its dividend for 10 consecutive years and Merck & Co., Inc. has raised its dividend for 14 consecutive years. Merck & Co., Inc. is clearly the better dividend stock, given its higher yield and longer track record of dividend growth.

Summary

Gilead Sciences and Merck & Co., Inc. tied by winning 10 of the 20 factors compared between the two stocks.

How does Merck & Co., Inc. compare to Moderna?

Merck & Co., Inc. (NYSE:MRK) and Moderna (NASDAQ:MRNA) are both large-cap healthcare companies, but which is the better investment? We will contrast the two businesses based on the strength of their profitability, valuation, analyst recommendations, media sentiment, dividends, risk, institutional ownership and earnings.

Merck & Co., Inc. has higher revenue and earnings than Moderna. Moderna is trading at a lower price-to-earnings ratio than Merck & Co., Inc., indicating that it is currently the more affordable of the two stocks.

Company	Gross Revenue	Price/Sales Ratio	Net Income	Earnings Per Share	Price/Earnings Ratio
Merck & Co., Inc.	$65.01B	5.67	$18.25B	$1.25	119.44
Moderna	$1.94B	41.78	-$2.82B	-$7.99	N/A

Merck & Co., Inc. presently has a consensus price target of $145.76, indicating a potential downside of 2.37%. Moderna has a consensus price target of $76.72, indicating a potential downside of 62.29%. Given Merck & Co., Inc.'s stronger consensus rating and higher probable upside, equities research analysts clearly believe Merck & Co., Inc. is more favorable than Moderna.

Company	Sell Ratings	Hold Ratings	Buy Ratings	Strong Buy Ratings	Rating Score
Merck & Co., Inc.	0 Sell rating(s)	11 Hold rating(s)	16 Buy rating(s)	0 Strong Buy rating(s)	2.59
Moderna	4 Sell rating(s)	14 Hold rating(s)	7 Buy rating(s)	0 Strong Buy rating(s)	2.12

76.1% of Merck & Co., Inc. shares are held by institutional investors. Comparatively, 75.3% of Moderna shares are held by institutional investors. 0.2% of Merck & Co., Inc. shares are held by insiders. Comparatively, 10.8% of Moderna shares are held by insiders. Strong institutional ownership is an indication that endowments, large money managers and hedge funds believe a company will outperform the market over the long term.

Merck & Co., Inc. has a net margin of 4.77% compared to Moderna's net margin of -141.43%. Merck & Co., Inc.'s return on equity of 16.73% beat Moderna's return on equity.

Company	Net Margins	Return on Equity	Return on Assets
Merck & Co., Inc.	4.77%	16.73%	6.13%
Moderna	-141.43%	-28.30%	-19.39%

In the previous week, Moderna had 10 more articles in the media than Merck & Co., Inc.. MarketBeat recorded 48 mentions for Moderna and 38 mentions for Merck & Co., Inc.. Merck & Co., Inc.'s average media sentiment score of 0.62 beat Moderna's score of 0.33 indicating that Merck & Co., Inc. is being referred to more favorably in the media.

Company	Very Positive	Positive	Neutral	Negative	Very Negative	Overall Sentiment
Merck & Co., Inc.	18 Very Positive mention(s)	3 Positive mention(s)	10 Neutral mention(s)	3 Negative mention(s)	3 Very Negative mention(s)	Positive
Moderna	10 Very Positive mention(s)	16 Positive mention(s)	14 Neutral mention(s)	2 Negative mention(s)	4 Very Negative mention(s)	Neutral

Merck & Co., Inc. has a beta of 0.21, meaning that its stock price is 79% less volatile than the broader market. Comparatively, Moderna has a beta of 1.1, meaning that its stock price is 10% more volatile than the broader market.

Summary

Merck & Co., Inc. beats Moderna on 12 of the 16 factors compared between the two stocks.

How does Merck & Co., Inc. compare to Vertex Pharmaceuticals?

Vertex Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ:VRTX) and Merck & Co., Inc. (NYSE:MRK) are both large-cap healthcare companies, but which is the better stock? We will compare the two companies based on the strength of their valuation, profitability, earnings, media sentiment, risk, analyst recommendations, institutional ownership and dividends.

Vertex Pharmaceuticals currently has a consensus price target of $575.13, suggesting a potential upside of 9.19%. Merck & Co., Inc. has a consensus price target of $145.76, suggesting a potential downside of 2.37%. Given Vertex Pharmaceuticals' stronger consensus rating and higher possible upside, equities analysts clearly believe Vertex Pharmaceuticals is more favorable than Merck & Co., Inc..

Company	Sell Ratings	Hold Ratings	Buy Ratings	Strong Buy Ratings	Rating Score
Vertex Pharmaceuticals	0 Sell rating(s)	2 Hold rating(s)	20 Buy rating(s)	1 Strong Buy rating(s)	2.96
Merck & Co., Inc.	0 Sell rating(s)	11 Hold rating(s)	16 Buy rating(s)	0 Strong Buy rating(s)	2.59

Vertex Pharmaceuticals has a beta of 0.32, meaning that its stock price is 68% less volatile than the broader market. Comparatively, Merck & Co., Inc. has a beta of 0.21, meaning that its stock price is 79% less volatile than the broader market.

91.0% of Vertex Pharmaceuticals shares are held by institutional investors. Comparatively, 76.1% of Merck & Co., Inc. shares are held by institutional investors. 0.2% of Vertex Pharmaceuticals shares are held by insiders. Comparatively, 0.2% of Merck & Co., Inc. shares are held by insiders. Strong institutional ownership is an indication that large money managers, hedge funds and endowments believe a company is poised for long-term growth.

Merck & Co., Inc. has higher revenue and earnings than Vertex Pharmaceuticals. Vertex Pharmaceuticals is trading at a lower price-to-earnings ratio than Merck & Co., Inc., indicating that it is currently the more affordable of the two stocks.

Company	Gross Revenue	Price/Sales Ratio	Net Income	Earnings Per Share	Price/Earnings Ratio
Vertex Pharmaceuticals	$12.00B	11.14	$3.95B	$17.18	30.66
Merck & Co., Inc.	$65.01B	5.67	$18.25B	$1.25	119.44

Vertex Pharmaceuticals has a net margin of 35.00% compared to Merck & Co., Inc.'s net margin of 4.77%. Vertex Pharmaceuticals' return on equity of 23.09% beat Merck & Co., Inc.'s return on equity.

Company	Net Margins	Return on Equity	Return on Assets
Vertex Pharmaceuticals	35.00%	23.09%	16.72%
Merck & Co., Inc.	4.77%	16.73%	6.13%

In the previous week, Merck & Co., Inc. had 21 more articles in the media than Vertex Pharmaceuticals. MarketBeat recorded 38 mentions for Merck & Co., Inc. and 17 mentions for Vertex Pharmaceuticals. Vertex Pharmaceuticals' average media sentiment score of 0.93 beat Merck & Co., Inc.'s score of 0.62 indicating that Vertex Pharmaceuticals is being referred to more favorably in the media.

Company	Very Positive	Positive	Neutral	Negative	Very Negative	Overall Sentiment
Vertex Pharmaceuticals	9 Very Positive mention(s)	1 Positive mention(s)	5 Neutral mention(s)	1 Negative mention(s)	0 Very Negative mention(s)	Positive
Merck & Co., Inc.	18 Very Positive mention(s)	3 Positive mention(s)	10 Neutral mention(s)	3 Negative mention(s)	3 Very Negative mention(s)	Positive

Summary

Vertex Pharmaceuticals beats Merck & Co., Inc. on 13 of the 17 factors compared between the two stocks.

How does Merck & Co., Inc. compare to AbbVie?

AbbVie (NYSE:ABBV) and Merck & Co., Inc. (NYSE:MRK) are both large-cap healthcare companies, but which is the superior stock? We will contrast the two companies based on the strength of their analyst recommendations, institutional ownership, dividends, risk, earnings, profitability, media sentiment and valuation.

AbbVie has a beta of 0.29, indicating that its share price is 71% less volatile than the broader market. Comparatively, Merck & Co., Inc. has a beta of 0.21, indicating that its share price is 79% less volatile than the broader market.

Merck & Co., Inc. has higher revenue and earnings than AbbVie. AbbVie is trading at a lower price-to-earnings ratio than Merck & Co., Inc., indicating that it is currently the more affordable of the two stocks.

Company	Gross Revenue	Price/Sales Ratio	Net Income	Earnings Per Share	Price/Earnings Ratio
AbbVie	$64.39B	7.23	$4.23B	$3.54	74.45
Merck & Co., Inc.	$65.01B	5.67	$18.25B	$1.25	119.44

70.2% of AbbVie shares are held by institutional investors. Comparatively, 76.1% of Merck & Co., Inc. shares are held by institutional investors. 0.1% of AbbVie shares are held by insiders. Comparatively, 0.2% of Merck & Co., Inc. shares are held by insiders. Strong institutional ownership is an indication that hedge funds, large money managers and endowments believe a stock will outperform the market over the long term.

In the previous week, AbbVie had 1 more articles in the media than Merck & Co., Inc.. MarketBeat recorded 39 mentions for AbbVie and 38 mentions for Merck & Co., Inc.. AbbVie's average media sentiment score of 0.75 beat Merck & Co., Inc.'s score of 0.62 indicating that AbbVie is being referred to more favorably in the media.

Company	Very Positive	Positive	Neutral	Negative	Very Negative	Overall Sentiment
AbbVie	18 Very Positive mention(s)	10 Positive mention(s)	8 Neutral mention(s)	3 Negative mention(s)	0 Very Negative mention(s)	Positive
Merck & Co., Inc.	18 Very Positive mention(s)	3 Positive mention(s)	10 Neutral mention(s)	3 Negative mention(s)	3 Very Negative mention(s)	Positive

AbbVie has a net margin of 9.80% compared to Merck & Co., Inc.'s net margin of 4.77%. Merck & Co., Inc.'s return on equity of 16.73% beat AbbVie's return on equity.

Company	Net Margins	Return on Equity	Return on Assets
AbbVie	9.80%	-422.07%	14.34%
Merck & Co., Inc.	4.77%	16.73%	6.13%

AbbVie pays an annual dividend of $6.92 per share and has a dividend yield of 2.6%. Merck & Co., Inc. pays an annual dividend of $3.40 per share and has a dividend yield of 2.3%. AbbVie pays out 195.5% of its earnings in the form of a dividend, suggesting it may not have sufficient earnings to cover its dividend payment in the future. Merck & Co., Inc. pays out 272.0% of its earnings in the form of a dividend, suggesting it may not have sufficient earnings to cover its dividend payment in the future. AbbVie has raised its dividend for 53 consecutive years and Merck & Co., Inc. has raised its dividend for 14 consecutive years. AbbVie is clearly the better dividend stock, given its higher yield and longer track record of dividend growth.

AbbVie presently has a consensus target price of $272.66, indicating a potential upside of 3.46%. Merck & Co., Inc. has a consensus target price of $145.76, indicating a potential downside of 2.37%. Given AbbVie's stronger consensus rating and higher possible upside, research analysts clearly believe AbbVie is more favorable than Merck & Co., Inc..

Company	Sell Ratings	Hold Ratings	Buy Ratings	Strong Buy Ratings	Rating Score
AbbVie	0 Sell rating(s)	6 Hold rating(s)	23 Buy rating(s)	2 Strong Buy rating(s)	2.87
Merck & Co., Inc.	0 Sell rating(s)	11 Hold rating(s)	16 Buy rating(s)	0 Strong Buy rating(s)	2.59

Summary

AbbVie beats Merck & Co., Inc. on 14 of the 20 factors compared between the two stocks.

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New MarketBeat Followers Over Time

This chart shows the number of new MarketBeat users adding MRK and its top 5 competitors to their watchlist. Each company is represented with a line over a 90 day period.

Media Sentiment Over Time

This chart shows the average media sentiment of NYSE and its competitors over the past 90 days as caculated by MarketBeat. The averaged score is equivalent to the following: Very Negative Sentiment <= -1.5, Negative Sentiment > -1.5 and <= -0.5, Neutral Sentiment > -0.5 and < 0.5, Positive Sentiment >= 0.5 and < 1.5, and Very Positive Sentiment >= 1.5.

MRK vs. The Competition

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Metric	Merck & Co., Inc.	Pharmaceuticals Industry	Healthcare Sector	NYSE Exchange
Market Cap	$368.36B	$12.54B	$7.26B	$22.74B
Dividend Yield	2.29%	2.62%	2.52%	3.68%
P/E Ratio	119.44	792.33	274.98	27.67
Price / Sales	5.67	752.42	606.85	20.20
Price / Cash	13.02	15.22	28.02	19.27
Price / Book	7.04	10.59	10.50	4.64
Net Income	$18.25B	$2.83B	$3.50B	$1.07B
7 Day Performance	-1.13%	-2.72%	-3.01%	-2.80%
1 Month Performance	0.68%	-1.47%	-4.15%	-5.85%
1 Year Performance	90.29%	-0.35%	13.25%	5.75%

Merck & Co., Inc. Competitors List

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Company	MarketRank	Share Price	Analysts' Price Target	1Y Price Performance	Market Cap	Revenue	P/E Ratio	Employee Count	Indicator(s)
MRK Merck & Co., Inc.	3.433 of 5 stars	$149.30 +0.4%	$145.76 -2.4%	+89.5%	$368.36B	$65.01B	119.44	75,000	Trending News Analyst Forecast
AMGN Amgen	3.4127 of 5 stars	$391.94 +1.6%	$381.32 -2.7%	+53.2%	$212.13B	$36.75B	24.39	31,500	Analyst Forecast
GILD Gilead Sciences	4.0474 of 5 stars	$151.40 +0.9%	$158.78 +4.9%	+35.8%	$187.86B	$29.44B	N/A	17,000
MRNA Moderna	1.9815 of 5 stars	$168.79 +9.6%	$76.72 -54.5%	+705.6%	$67.66B	$2.21B	N/A	4,700
VRTX Vertex Pharmaceuticals	3.668 of 5 stars	$510.20 +0.4%	$573.83 +12.5%	+36.8%	$129.57B	$12.59B	29.71	6,400	Analyst Forecast

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This page (NYSE:MRK) was last updated on 9/29/2026 by MarketBeat.com Staff.

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Merck & Co., Inc. (MRK) Competitors

MRK vs. AMGN, GILD, MRNA, VRTX, and ABBV

How does Merck & Co., Inc. compare to Amgen?

Summary

How does Merck & Co., Inc. compare to Gilead Sciences?

Summary

How does Merck & Co., Inc. compare to Moderna?

Summary

How does Merck & Co., Inc. compare to Vertex Pharmaceuticals?

Summary

How does Merck & Co., Inc. compare to AbbVie?

Summary

New MarketBeat Followers Over Time

Media Sentiment Over Time

MRK vs. The Competition

Merck & Co., Inc. Competitors List

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Merck & Co., Inc. (MRK) Competitors

MRK vs. AMGN, GILD, MRNA, VRTX, and ABBV

How does Merck & Co., Inc. compare to Amgen?

Which has more risk & volatility, AMGN or MRK?

Is AMGN or MRK more profitable?

Is AMGN or MRK a better dividend stock?

Does the media favor AMGN or MRK?

Which has preferable valuation and earnings, AMGN or MRK?

Do institutionals and insiders believe in AMGN or MRK?

Do analysts recommend AMGN or MRK?

Summary

How does Merck & Co., Inc. compare to Gilead Sciences?

Do insiders & institutionals have more ownership in GILD or MRK?

Which has better valuation & earnings, GILD or MRK?

Is GILD or MRK more profitable?

Does the media prefer GILD or MRK?

Do analysts rate GILD or MRK?

Which has more volatility & risk, GILD or MRK?

Is GILD or MRK a better dividend stock?

Summary

How does Merck & Co., Inc. compare to Moderna?

Which has better earnings & valuation, MRK or MRNA?

Do analysts rate MRK or MRNA?

Do institutionals & insiders believe in MRK or MRNA?

Is MRK or MRNA more profitable?

Does the media refer more to MRK or MRNA?

Which has more volatility & risk, MRK or MRNA?

Summary

How does Merck & Co., Inc. compare to Vertex Pharmaceuticals?

Do analysts prefer VRTX or MRK?

Which has more risk and volatility, VRTX or MRK?

Do institutionals & insiders hold more shares of VRTX or MRK?

Which has better valuation and earnings, VRTX or MRK?

Is VRTX or MRK more profitable?

Does the media prefer VRTX or MRK?

Summary

How does Merck & Co., Inc. compare to AbbVie?

Which has more volatility & risk, ABBV or MRK?

Which has better valuation and earnings, ABBV or MRK?

Do institutionals and insiders believe in ABBV or MRK?

Does the media refer more to ABBV or MRK?

Is ABBV or MRK more profitable?

Is ABBV or MRK a better dividend stock?

Do analysts recommend ABBV or MRK?

Summary

New MarketBeat Followers Over Time

Media Sentiment Over Time

MRK vs. The Competition

Merck & Co., Inc. Competitors List

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MarketBeat All Access Features

Best-in-Class Portfolio Monitoring

Stock Ideas and Recommendations

Advanced Stock Screeners and Research Tools